Freddie Mills

Freddie Mills, (June 26, 1919 â€" July 25, 1965) was an English boxer. Mills was the world light heavyweight champion from 1948 to 1950, and in retirement became a London nightclub owner.

Mills was born in Parkstone, Poole, England. He was not know for his boxing skills (although he could box well on occasion) but rather his durability and heart. These attributes were enough to take him to the pinnacle of his career as Light Heavyweight Champion of the World. Mills claimed the title after a hard fought points victory over fifteen rounds of the American Gus Lesnevich. Later, the sounds from Lesnevich's camp and the American press seemed to be indicating that Lesnevich's defeat was down to his continual problems to reach the Light Heavyweight limit of 175 pounds. However, while his difficulties in making weight were undeniable (Lesnevich regularly fought around the 180 pound mark taking on good fighters such as Tami Mauriello, Jimmy Bivins and later Ezzard Charles) his defeat was largely brought about by the cuts over both of his eyes which had streamed with blood from the opening round onwards. Mills held the title for sixteen months, losing in his first defence to Lesnevich's compatriot Joey Maxim. In the meantime he had lost the second of his gruelling bouts with Bruce Woodcock - he was knocked out in the fourteenth round. He was freqeuntly matched with much larger opponents throughout his career and suffered three of his most damning defeats in such encounters - once against the American Joe Baksi and twice against the British Heavyweight Champion at the time Bruce Woodcock. In retirement he became a friend of the Krays, who were two crime leaders. In 1965 he was found shot in the head in London like so many Kray associates. The police said suicide, but several lurid theories sprang up: such as that Mills, married with children, had been arrested in a public toilet and charged with homosexual indecency; or that his suicide was staged by Chinese gangsters who were after his club. A recent book even explored the possbility Mills had murdered eight prostitutes found in the Thames between 1959 and 1965 (the so-called "Jack the Stripper" killings), then killed himself when the net began to tighten.